This year’s even age groups and international cross country attracted upwards of 1500 runners to the Billy Neill complex on Saturday. With a top finish in each age category qualifying for the Irish Even age groups at Rosapenna golf course on 20th November, competition was intense.
The club had athletes in every age group with considerable success throughout the day. The girls U10 was the first race of the day and young Isla McQuillan got her first taste of cross country running around the 1K course, hopefully the start of a successful running career.
The boys U10 included Adam Downey who recorded 4:04 for the 1K trip, Isaac Foord 4:20 and Reuben Dunne 4:29. The girls U12 saw Coco Smith finish 15thwhich should be good enough for qualification to the Irish, but in any event will qualify as part of the County Down team. Lara Cheatley followed in 43rd spot with Grace Foord and Caitlyn Dickenson finishing within a second of each other in 59th and 61st.
Carter Rolston showed great courage in the boys U12 race finishing in 2nd place. 3rd and 4th placed runners made Carter fight for his place and he deservedly took the silver medal. Sebastian Mair finished in 16th in the same race as Charlie Rayner completed in 59th and Isaac Hall 64th.
As the race program moved up to the U14’s so did the severity of the course. A couple of testing slopes made things difficult and in the girls race Erin Playfair finished in 46th place ahead of Charlotte Shields in 59th. Alex Downey had a great showing in the boys U14 as he completed in 8th position. Ethan Constable was 26th and James Blease followed in 36th. Bailey Duncan squeezed in the cross country race between rugby and training so was happy with 44th place.
Rebekah Laffin was the first of the North Down quartet in the girls U16 as she finished in 25th, Holly Blease 29th, Lauren Cheatley 30th and Eimear Mulligan 63rd. Oliver Playfair finished in a very credible 9th place in the boys U16 and was followed by Aodhan Keag 23rd, Isaac Dunne 42nd, Alex Newman 44th and Christopher Belshaw 55th.
Mackenzie Eager and training partner Lucy Cheatley produced strong runs to finish in 14th and 16th places in the girls U18. Chloe Verner wasn’t far behind in 23rd. Ben Acheson recorded a good 9th spot in the boys U18 as Ethan Isles came in 20th, Luke Dobson 46th and Scott Allen 49th.
The ladies once again had a healthy representation in their race as 18 athletes toed the line ensuring a good start to the cross country league.
Rachel Gibson and Katie Moore were right up at the business end of the pack as they finished in 17th and 19th and Fiona McQuillan, with one eye on next week’s Dublin marathon, came in 24th. Clair Quigley had a strong showing in 45th as Lindsay Doulton finished 5 places back in 50th.
Julie Wilson came through well to finish in 64th and Lisa Tomalin and Sarah Gibson were close by in 69th and70th. Abby Andrews completed in 73rd and Zara Fulton 83rd before Glynis Boyle made it inside the top 100 in 98th.
Jill Aicken was next in 101st, team captain Clare Louise Scott 104th and Emma Fox 113th. Wendy Neely 125th, Cara Jeffrey 145th, Hannah Dunne 161st and Jenny Keery 166th completed the ND lineup.
By the time the men took on the 8K, 4 lap tour of the Billy Neill grounds the running surface had been well and truly softened up. 13 North Down men gave a good account of themselves in the pursuit of cross country league points.
Craig McMeechan, running for NI and Ulster ran with the lead group throughout the race. As the third lap progressed he found himself at the back of the group and losing ground. A strong last lap regained lost ground and he completed in 5th position, 2nd NI counter. Jamie McMeechan ran strongly to record 35th place and Gareth Watton 45th. Chris Moran was 48th before Daniel Dines 51st and Francis Marsh 54th and customary age group win, rounded off their 4 laps.
David McKeague had a solid run to finish in 58th as did Dennis Scott in 63rdspot. Jason McMinn was next in 79th followed by Alasdair Mair in 99th place. Aaron McAuley returned in 116th, Tom Agnew 158th and Tim Cooke 170th.
A great turnout for North Down athletes which will hugely benefit our league positions. The next league race is the Comber Cup which is once again at the Billy Neill grounds and is also on the same day as the Irish even age groups in Donegal.
Full Results: